Geranium plant named &#39;Zolirsca&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Geranium  plant, particularly distinguished by the deep scarlet flower color, dark green foliage with little zone, rather early flowering, and round plant structure with medium strong branching.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Pelargonium zonale (L.) L'Hérit. ex Ait

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Zolirsca’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Geranium, botanically known asPelargonium zonale (L.) L'Hérit. ex Ait, and hereinafter referred to bythe variety name ‘Zolirsca.’

‘Zolirsca’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘Zolirsca’ has large, semi-double flowers, is relatively vigorous, butwith a well-branched growth habit, and has good heat resistance.

‘Zolirsca’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breedingprogram in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was anunpatented hybrid seedling identified as ‘J2286-2’ with deep scarletcolor, late flowering, vigorous, and a nice zone on the foliage. Themale parent of ‘Zolirsca’ was an unpatented hybrid seedling identifiedas ‘T016’ with deep scarlet color, dark green foliage, and big flowers.

‘Zolirsca’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in 2000 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Zolirsca’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in theFall of 2000 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in April of 2001 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘Zolirsca’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘Zolirsca’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Zolirsca’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows a floweringpotted plant of the new variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, in August2005 on plants that were growing in window boxes. Culture of theseplants started mid February, 2005 in the greenhouse; plants weretransferred to window boxes mid May, 2005.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describeplants grown outside in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The following traitshave been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basiccharacteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Geranium as a new and distinctvariety. TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘ZOLIRSCA’ AND ASIMILAR VARIETY ‘Fisrocky Dark Red’ (U.S. Plant Patent ‘Zolirsca’ No.12,237) Leaf zoning Moderate zoning Strong zoning Leaf color (upperside) 139A 137A Flower color 44A 40A (upper side of upper petal) PLANTPlant height (cm): 21 Plant height (inflorescence included) (cm): 35Plant width (cm): 45 Plant shape: Round FOLIAGE Length (cm): 5.5 Width(cm): 10 Shape: Reniform Base shape: Cordate Base size (cm): 6 Apexshape: Very weak lobes Apex size (cm): 4 Color of upper surface: 139AColor of lower surface: 137B Color of zone: 187A Color of veins: 146BMargin: Bicrenate Petioles length (cm): 5-7 Diameter of petiole (mm): 3Leaves smooth and hairy: Only at nerves Texture of leaves: Upper surfacesmooth Veins: Palmate STEM: Length of internodes (mm): 25-45 Color ofstem: 145A; older stems 59A Diameter (mm): 6-11 INFLORESCENCE Shape:Round outline Diameter (cm): 11 Umbel depth (cm): 6 Length of peduncle(cm): 10-20 Peduncle diameter (mm): 4-5 Color of peduncle: 144B Lengthof pedicel (cm): 2.5-3.5 Color of pedicel: 178A Number of flowers perinflorescence: 35 COROLLA Form: Weakly semi-double type, appears almostas single type. Space between upper and lower petals. Shape: Roundoutline, upper petals about the same size as the lower petals, wrinkledflower Length of flower (cm): 4.5 Width of flower (cm): 3.5 Number ofpetals: 6 Length of petals (upper/lower) (mm): Upper 22 Lower 23 Widthof petals (upper/lower) (mm): Upper 22 Lower 14 Shape petals: Obovate,base acute, upper end is truncate or rounded, margin is entire Colorupper side of upper petals: 44A Color upper side of lower petals: 44AColor lower side of upper petals: 44B Color lower side of lower petals:44B Number of petaloids: 1 Color petaloids: 44A Fading color when flowerstarts aging: No Duration of flowering: Continuous flowering throughoutthe Summer BUD (just before opening) Shape: Narrow elliptic Shape baseof bud: Truncate Shape top of bud: Acuminate Sepals hairy and smooth:Yes Length (mm): 6 Width (mm): 4 Color: 146B Number of sepals: 5 Colorof sepals: 147A Length of sepals (mm): 9 Width of sepals (mm): 2-3REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS Number of lobes of stigma: 5 Color stigma: 63ALength of style (mm): 4 Color of style: 67A Number of anthers: 4-6Length of anthers (mm): 3 Shape of anthers: Ovate Length filaments (mm):9 Color of filaments: 4D, Top 57A Pollen present: Yes Color of pollen:32A Fertility/seed set: No

-   Disease/pest resistance: No disease/pest resistance has been    observed to date.

1. A new and distinct variety of Geranium plant, substantially asillustrated and described herein.